NBC to Use AI Jim Fagan Voice for NBA

NBC Sports will use AI to recreate the voice of the late Jim Fagan, who died in 2017, for select NBA promos, title sequences, and show opens when NBA coverage returns to NBC in October 2025. The initiative was developed in partnership with Fagan's family and seeks to evoke nostalgia with the classic 'Roundball Rock' theme, while supplementing—rather than replacing—live voiceover work. While Fagan's family views the project as a meaningful tribute, many fans and commentators have expressed ethical concerns, including the impact on opportunities for new broadcasting talent and the potential alteration of sports icons' legacies. NBC previously used AI to synthesize Al Michaels' voice for Olympic coverage, but this marks a new instance of posthumous digital recreation. Public reaction is divided, with some appreciating the homage and others finding it unsettling. NBC's new NBA broadcast team will include Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Jamal Crawford, Reggie Miller, and Carmelo Anthony.